Recently a several page thread was deleted from the Gen III External forum about eBay headers. As the thread progressed one company in particular gained a following. The owner of this company came posted on here but specifically stated he would not discuss future products or cost on current products. That he would only answer technical questions. He didn't have a link to his website. No one posted one for his company either. A phone number was given out for anyone wishing to contact him and maybe that was over the line. The owner of said company wasn't the one who posted the phone number. It was done mid way through a several page thread. If it was wrong then why wasn't a mod either censoring the questionable parts of the thread or warning that the discussion was close to being over the line? The thread was admittedly in a gray area but this guy came on here not to violate any forum rules and flat out told people he would not answer certain questions to avoid issues with the board.

So I was poking around the boards today and...

I noticed in the electronics section of the boards there is a useful thread about using non sponsor light housings for headlight conversions. Links are posted throughout the thread. Even a mod has posted in the thread. Not as a warning but offering info. I looked for both LMC and DDM tuning in the sponsor lists as they are both referred to in the headlight thread in question. They aren't listed as sponsors.

Why is one allowed and the other isn't? If LMC and DDM are not sponsors then why is the thread allowed to have links in it? Why wasn't it deleted? It has links specifically to a non sponsor site. The eBay header thread had links to outdated, and therefore, expired auctions that provided no information about the headers in question.

Even a thread asking what happened to the eBay header thread was deleted. Why the great cover up on eBay headers months after it was started but nothing done about the headlight thread that clearly violates forum rules? Either they are both in violation, neither in violation or the headlight one is in clear violation.

<---puts on flame suit....cringes

 

Nothing?

 

In the 1st thread you mentioned, sponsors here had direct competition from the ebay headers, possibly costing our PAYING sponsors to lose money. The sites in 2nd thread were ok because the probably did not have competition form anyone on here. Basically, you sell the same products as a sponsor, it gets deleted; if its a unique, non-sponsored item, it can stay because it doesnt cost anyone here business.

Note: I did not read either thread you are talking about, nor do I know which they are, so my answer is just a guess.

 

Even if that's the case, the first thread lasted for MONTHS. There was no mod issuing warnings. Your statements preclude the possibility of expanding knowledge of products beyond LS1techs walls. Vendors have been leaving left and right. Not long ago there was a vendor of hid kits.

From Nineballs non sponsor policy posting

5. We allow non-sponsoring manufacturers and vendors to come to LS1TECH and speak about their new products or answer technical questions about their products. This has never been a problem. Most of these vendors will often direct any business to their distributors who advertise here. We encourage industry people to visit and interact here. They can do so without soliciting products, this has been proven for years now. We only ask that non-sponsors make no attempt to post any form of pricing or contact information (email, phone, website, address, etc...) with intentions to solicit for business. We ask that they direct all sales through a current vendor, or become a sponsor to do so directly.

The seller in question never posted a number or any other contact info. Other members posted a phone number but that could have been edited out and the member could have been warned. If a mod has a issue or thinks things are getting out of hand I have seen them come in and restore order and enforce the rules by getting the subject back on track. This did not happen.

Truth be told the two threads I have mentioned have a lot in common. But I'm glad someone noticed my questions.

 

This is the truth. The e-bay headers are in direct competition with supporting board sponsors who also sell headers. The original e-bay thread started off as informative, but soon went into a sales pitch which competed against LS1 Tech sponsors. The e-bay seller who emerged in the thread was clearly getting sales by association and eventually received numerous sponsor complaints. For this reason, the thread was moved to the moderation section until the e-bay seller decides if he's going to pony-up and be a sponsor.

Bottom line, that thread went waaaaay beyond providing general info. It became a selling thread.

 

Thank you for a response.

 

Also notice the wording in the rule...

"Most of these vendors will often direct any business to their distributors who advertise here..."

This part of the stipulation would apply to a MANUFACTURER or similar vendor not a DISTRIBUTOR.

In other words, Joe Blow, an LS1tech sponsor, sells Edelbrock headers. Edelbrock is NOT a sponsor on tech but is allowed to comment about a technical aspect of the product because they are simply offering support to their vendors...

It's not so some random person who is actively SELLING a product can come on here and chat up how great their product is and get free advertising.

Basically, it is one or the other. You get a free message board to come to and people pay to advertise to keep it going or people get free advertising and the message board is some small POS you've never heard of because members (you) have to pay to be on it and people with real knowledge never post on it because they are smart enough to know it is bassackwards.

Long story short, when sponsors are paying a crap load of money to support a site for YOU to get on and enjoy freely they expect the members to support THEM if not with their money then at least with their respect of not doing/allowing that type of crap...